House Tours
House tour: Neutral-pale cottage retreat
A new-build cottage becomes a cozy family retreat.
House Tours
House tour: Neutral-pale cottage retreat
Designer Natalie Chong transforms a new-build cottage into a comfy family retreat that revels in whiter shades of pale.
"When my husband and I walked into the original cottage, I mouthed to him behind the real estate agent's back, 'not in a million years!' recalls the homeowner of this now transformed getaway. It was 1992 and the Toronto-based couple was on the hunt for a cottage to share with their two daughters and son, then all under the age of six. "We saw an estate-sale ad for a cottage in Muskoka, Ont., and thought, Why not have a look?"
She describes the 1,000-square-foot cedar structure they went to view as "a total dive with plywood floors and no kitchen cupboards," but noted the real estate agent was smart to show them the interior first, as the cottage was quickly redeemed by the rest of the property's offerings, namely 20 acres of land and 1,000 feet of private waterfront.
With the ideal structure in place, the focus turned to the interior. "I needed help decorating," says the homeowner, "so when the owners of a bedding store I've frequented for more than 20 years highly recommended a designer, I didn't hesitate." That designer, Natalie Chong of Nest Design Studio, expanded upon the cottage's existing airy white-on-white aesthetic.
"When I first met my clients, the wife showed me her inspirational tears from decor magazines," says Natalie. "I went through all of them and said to her, ‘You don't want a Muskoka cottage, you want a beach house.' She agreed entirely."
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